“Yes; is it not an odd order for Berry, as well as yourself, to belong to?” she asked, laughing merrily; and then she added seriously—“But it is no laughing matter. Berry says he does not wonder at that, or indeed at any term of opprobrium, after the awful gulf which has been permitted to yawn and deepen between the ranks.”
“Lord Beresford will never fill it,” said Lord De Vaux dogmatically, and with a suspicion of irritation. “Not above a tithe of the people for whom he is spending himself will even understand him—far less be a bit the better for his waste of life and energy.”
“Berry says a man’s life would be well spent in helping a handful of his fellow-creatures, especially his countrymen—not to say our own people down at Southfolds,” said Lady Margaret serenely.
“Did I say a tithe? Probably not more than one will follow your brother’s lead.”
“Berry says he would not grudge his work if one man, woman, or child were the gainer by it,” said Lady Margaret proudly.
“What manner of man, woman, or child ought he or she to be who is to cost so much,” protested De Vaux ironically. “A beer-drinking clown, a long-tongued slattern, a dirty-faced imp of mischief—one and all of them dropping their r’s and revelling in their h’s.”
“Lord De Vaux!” said Lady Margaret, taken in by his tone, and getting red and indignant. “Berry says he has heard as good sense and as poetic thoughts from men and women who abused their r’s and h’s, as he ever listened to from their neighbours who respected these important letters. He is tempted to hold that it is a prejudice to be so particular about their disposal. More than that, he protests that, if the use of a tooth-brush would cause him to have a profound aversion to and contempt for the multitude who do not employ such an aid to their toilet, he would rather renounce tooth-brushes for ever, and continue to care for his brother.”
Lady Margaret had recovered her good-humour by this time, and saw he was trying her; so she added waggishly, “I must tell you, Lord De Vaux, that I have the greatest respect for an honest old woman who commits the enormity of taking snuff, as papa remembers your great-grandmother and mine doing freely, and that Berry’s model boy has red hair and a face covered with freckles.”
“What will you do without Berry?” he questioned her insidiously.
“I don’t know,” she answered, her face falling, and herself dropping forthwith into the new trap laid for her. “We’ll miss him dreadfully, and we are only to go to town after Easter for a few weeks, just that I may be presented, as mamma does not think that I am strong enough to stand the season. Berry will have nobody from home with him for the rest of the time, except Reiver, to make him feel less lonely, poor dear fellow.”